Police make arrest in rape on Columbus State campus

Thursday

Sep 30, 2010 at 12:01 AMOct 1, 2010 at 4:42 AM

Columbus police arrested a man last night in connection with the rape of a Columbus State Community College student and say he confessed to the attack. Taj Wedderburn, 26, who police say is homeless, was picked up at 7:30 p.m. at the Fashion Bug at 3849 S. High St.

Columbus police arrested a man last night in connection with the rape of a Columbus State Community College student and say he confessed to the attack.

Taj Wedderburn, 26, who police say is homeless, was picked up at 7:30 p.m. at the Fashion Bug at 3849 S. High St.

Customers in the store told police that he had been making comments and laughing about the rape in a bathroom on the Columbus State campus yesterday morning, Sgt. Terry McConnell of the sexual-abuse squad said. Wedderburn also reportedly was giving specifics about the attack that hadn't been made public.

Wedderburn was brought in on outstanding traffic warrants from a neighboring county and interviewed at police headquarters last night, McConnell said. The sergeant said he confessed to the rape at that time.

An off-duty Columbus police officer said that he had seen a person matching the description of the rapist at the Greyhound bus station on Wednesday, McConnell said.

Police last night were seeking a search warrant from a judge to obtain a DNA sample from Wedderburn, who was reported to be from Newark when charged with the traffic offenses in May.

The 7 a.m. assault occurred in a first-floor women's restroom in Nestor Hall, police said. Witnesses reported seeing a man leave the restroom about the same time, according to a crime alert released by the college. Police say he left the area on a bicycle.

The woman was taken to Grant Medical Center, where she was interviewed by police.

Police called the assault a stranger rape.

"To the best of our knowledge, this is the first sexual assault on (the Columbus State) campus," said Sgt. David D. Pelphrey of the sexual-abuse unit.

He would not give details from the interview with the victim.

"We are always on the alert this time of year for campus-style sexual assaults because of the infusion of students we get in the area," Pelphrey said.

He said he encourages students, especially those new to a campus, to take a self-defense class.

"Would you rather spend a few nights taking a self-defense class or be the victim of a rape or sexual assault?" he said.

Columbus State officials did not close buildings or change classes yesterday, spokesman David Wayne said.

The Downtown campus already had increased security because it was the first full week of classes, Wayne said.

Anyone with information about the assault is asked to call Columbus police at 614-645-4701 or Crime Stoppers at 614-645-8477. Students can ask for security escorts by calling Columbus State police at 614-287-2525.

Dispatch reporters Theodore Decker and and Stephanie Czekalinski contributed to this report.